Week three is in the books, with the Women’s 2nd XI the latest senior side to get their 2025 season underway with back to back games over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Oakmere Men’s 1st XI (93 all out) vs Hale Barns 1st XI (95/0) – Hale Barns won by 10 wickets

The Men’s 1st XI were back on home soil after their resounding victory at Runcron the Saturday prior, hosting Hale Barns. Craig Phelan won the toss for the third consecutive week and chose to bat first. There was a flying start for the home side, reaching 19/0 after the first two overs but the first wicket soon followed. Despite tough batting conditions, a partnership between James Norton and Josh Westwood took Oakmere past the fifty mark, reaching 51 off just 9 overs before Westwood fell for 4. Norton’s 29 came at a quick rate, but his dismissal sparked a flurry of wickets, with Oakmere finishing 93 all out after 28.5 overs.

With a difficult defence lined up, Oakmere took to the field and started with a couple of tight overs. Wickets were needed but did not come as an onslaught from the Hale Barns opener (71* off 38 balls) comfortably guided Hale Barns to their target in just 10.2 overs.
The Men’s 1st XI will look to bounce back next week as they travel to Over Peover.

Oulton Park 2nd XI (150 all out) vs Oakmere Men’s 2nd XI (153/2) – Oakmere won by 8 wickets

The Men’s 2nd XI made the short trip to neighbours Oulton Park on Saturday, where they won the toss and elected to bowl first. Despite plenty of false shots making their way to the boundary early on courtesy of the lightning outfield, Oakmere’s opening bwoling partnership of Matt Howard and Matthew Giles kept plugging away and reaped the rewards when Sean McDonnell took a catch at mid off and Mike Dodd at gully to give the two Matthews a wicket apiece. Mat Giles took another soon after to make it 48/3, before a fourth wicket partnership was put together. Corey Lewis (1/14) made the breakthrough for Oakmere and kept runs at a premium before spin at both ends applied the brakes to the scoring rate. Harry Poole (1/31) took the fifth Oulton Park wicket before Sean McDonnell (2/42) got in on the act. The returning Matthews finished the job, with Howard (3/36) and Giles (3/27) both finishing with three wickets apiece as Oulton Park were dismissed for 150.

Harry Poole (5) fell early in the chase, the ball after playing a sumptuous cover drive to the boundary. This wicket brought Mat Giles to join Dan Faulkner with the pair batting steadily, waiting for any loose deliveries and punishing them. Giles got off the mark with a maximum and continued to find the boundary as the pair put on more than 50. With the score on 63, Giles fell for a well made 28, bringing Paul Guilford to the crease to join Faulkner. The partnership carried on where the previous one had left off, batting patiently and taking advantage of any width offered. The pair remained unbroken as they saw Oakmere home to their target after just 27 overs of the chase, with Faulkner on 60 and Guilford on 36, to give Oakmere the victory.

Oakmere Men’s 3rd XI (143/7) vs Malpas 2nd XI (243/3) – Malpas won by 100 runs

The Men’s 3rd XI hosted Malpas 2nd XI on Saturday and, after wininng the toss, elected to bowl first on what appeared a fairly green wicket.

Malpas got off to a good start, before Brandon Jones (1/51) took the first wicket with a fine catch off his bowling. Brandon was well supported in the opening spell by Percy Bratherton who bowled an excellent line and length but was unfortunate not to get a wicket. Despite Oakmere’s young bowling attack of Henri Shovelton, Dan Gilbert and Geogre Warburton bowling with great energy and intent, Malpas were able to keep the scoring rate ticking over. The introduction of Pete Giles to the attack slowed things down a little as he bowled an exceelent spell of 2/33 from 8 overs. Malpas’ innings finished with the score on 243/3 with one of the visitors’ openers carrying their bat for an excellent 137.

Oakmere’s response did not start well with the loss of two early wickets. George Warburton then offered some good support to Adrian Watts (21) as they attempted to stabilise the innings. Two more wickets fell quickly though, bringing Brandon Jones to the crease. Brandon scored a well constructed 61 not out, ably supported by Dan Gilbert (9). After Dan was dismissed, Percy quickly followed, leaving Martin Bratherton (1*) undefeated at the end with Brandon with Oakmere’s score on 143/7.

Oakmere Women’s 2nd XI (86/9) vs Chester Boughton Hall 2nd XI (87/4) – Chester Boughton Hall won by 6 wickets

The newly promoted Women’s 2nd XI got their 2025 season underway on Saturday, taking on Chester Boughton Hall at Overdale Lane, with the visitors winning the toss and electing to field first. Oakmere’s openers Abbi Lamidey and Maddi Lawson got the innings off to a good start, seeing off the Chester opening bowlers and putting on 36 runs together before Abbi was out LBW for 24. Maddi soon followed for 1, whilst Thisumi Jayawarna was the pick of the remaining Oakmere batters, making 12, as Oakmere posted 86/9 from their 30 overs.

Thisumi carried her batting into her bowling, taking two early Chester wickets, one courtesy of a good catch by Carys Salomon. Chester rallied with a third wicket partnership worth 56 before Annie Smith (1/8) made the breakthrough, with Maddi Lawson holding on in the field. Maddi took another catch from the returning Thisumi (3/12), but it wasn;t enough for Oakmere as the visitors reached their target in the 26th over.

Oakmere Women’s 2nd XI (58/3) vs Wistaston Village 1st XI (55/8) – Oakmere won by 7 wickets

The Women’s 2nd XI looked to bounce back from their defeat at the hands of Chester Boughton Hall on Sunday as they took on Wistaston Village in the first round of the Development Knockout Cup. Oakmere won the toss and elected to bowl, making no mistake early on as Carys Salomon (1/10) took the first Wistaston wicket with 7 runs on the board. The second wicket partnership for Wistaston resisted well, but pressure told when Abbi Lamidey (1/12) hit the target to make it 36/2. Emily Faulkner (2/2 from 3 overs) and Maddi Lawson (4/3 from 3 overs) bowled excellent spells to turn the game in Oakmere’s favour as the visitors finished their innings on 55/8.

Despite an early wicket in the chase, Emily and Maddi carried on where they had left off with the ball. Maddi retired unbeaten on 30 whilst Emly was also unbeaten on 18*. A brief wobble saw Oakmere lose two further wickets, but Jen Lamidey’s 5 not out saw Oakmere into the next round.